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Thursday, October 27, 2016

'School insensitive for holding football practice on Deepavali day'

My son is in Year Six in a Petaling Jaya national school. He has joined the football club under the school (a paid club, where additional fees are charged). The training is held on weekends, i.e. Saturdays n Sundays.

Yesterday, we received a WhatsApp message from the teacher in charge and was informed that the training is scheduled as usual on Oct 29 and Oct 30. Oct 29 is Deepavali, the main celebration for Hindus in Malaysia.

When questioned, she could neither give a proper answer nor solve the issue. I contacted the headmistress this morning and she was not helpful at all.

In fact she said, "Anak puan seorang aja kot." (Your child is the only one affected).

I believe the issue of whether or not my son is the only person in the group is irrelevant. Actually there are few others who celebrate Deepavali, who attend the trainings, too. They, too, have voiced out via email their disssatisfaction over the training date, which falls on Deepavali.

I am not happy at all with the school management on this issue as the government has declared schools to be closed from Oct 28 to Nov 1. Why is the school management not adhering to it when the government has given the directive?

We want some justice, even though only a few are affected in the group. The school is being totally ignorant and insensitive towards the Hindus in the school.